Children and infants are delicate beings that require the utmost care in order to protect them and keep them safe from harm. As a result, there is a myriad of products intended to provide protection from the dangers generated by a variety of sources. Car seats protect them from physical harm while riding in a car and sun shades shield their eyes and skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light. Child proof toys protect them while playing and walkers support them and guard against falls while learning to walk.
While there appears to be a product intended to protect infants and toddlers from a seemingly endless list of dangers, one area where physical protection has been surprisingly lacking is when the infant is simply lying upon a floor. Indoor locations subject the child to dirt, hard flooring, rough carpets and the like, while outdoor locations pose a danger from sand, dirt, insects, chemicals and so forth.
Various attempts have been made to provide portable mats for infants or toddlers. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,013, issued in the name of Bloom, describes a portable infant play mat with a cushioned base portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,460, issued in the name of Nelson, describes a foldable mat with handle portions for conversion into a conventional tote type bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,230, issued in the name of Parikh, describes an infant play corral with foam block walls which provides traditional play pen-type capabilities while providing a folding and locking means for transport and storage.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices are not tightly collapsible to provide a minimum volume for storage and transport. Also, many such devices are not easily washable, replaceable, or modular to provide a variety of functionality. Furthermore, many such devices are not suitable for use in adverse conditions such as outdoor surfaces, egregious sunlight, wet conditions, and the like. Accordingly, there exists a need for a portable toddler mat without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.